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Member
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Location: paragould, ar | My brakes won't work on my trailer, everything else works fine. I checked the plug and power, but my controller box doesnt light up when I plug it in. I think it may be a bad ground? And what about the little battery for the emergency brakes, that battery is dead could that affect it? I don't really know where to start to even check on the grounds for the brakes. I know my controller box is good because it works on my friends trailer. Any ideals? |
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 Expert
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Location: Northern Utah | The little battery for the emergency brakes is just that, For the emergency brakes, It has no effect on your regular brakes. If your controller isn't showing a brake connection, Its probably in the wiring. |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
 
Location: Vermont | Which controller do your have?...Have you checked the fuse for your brake controller?...Most controller boxes should indicate power when the engine in running and when the trailer is connected... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7Juo-1tcVs |
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Member
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Location: paragould, ar | My controller works on every other trailer I pluged it in to. Ive got in my trailer and found where the truck wires plug into the trailer wiring, if i unsnap the brake wire ground my tester and stick the probe in truck end my controller lights up and shows power. So that has me thinking that it's a ground wire, but where do I need to check for that. Everything else on the trailer works and the main ground is good and clean and making contact. So where else could I have a bad ground? |
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Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain... | Check at each individual hub. The magnets will be grounded individually (most likely) to the frame. Or all 4 could use a common ground that is separate from the main ground. |
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Member
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Location: paragould, ar | I pulled a hub and both wires coming in to it go to the magnet, so does that mean there is a common ground for these? |
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Expert
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Location: Vermont | The brake magnets do draw a fair amount of current hence all connections need to be well made in order to carry the current. In many cases simple twistlock connectors are used and they tend to allow corrosion. I like soldered connections with hear shrink type sleeves, however crimped connectors with a heat shrink sleeves is also OK. That being said, go directly to the splices closest to the brake magnets, undo the splice and apply the battery power at that point. You will also want to check the grounding (one side of the brake magnet goes to ground) for good bonding. To get a good ground you need to have bare metal and generally a star washer between the lugs and the frame to assure good bonding. Since you note that all 4 magnets do not seem to activate I do believe that in all probability bad or corroded grounds and splices are the problem. Another approach would be to run a separate grounding wire rather than rely on the frame to do that job as the frame return ground approach will always be open to corrosive bad connections. (kinda hard to keep water away from frame grounds). Just taping a splice is not adequate to seal out moisture. You need to use heat shrink sleeves that have hot glue inside that acts as the sealant.If you use an ohm meter to check the coils you are looking for a low resistance reading to confirm continuity, (probably in the 5 to 50 ohm range) or again DC voltage applied would make a screwdriver hard to pull away.
Edited by PaulChristenson 2010-10-29 12:40 PM
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Location: Kentucky | Any chance you are using an adapter to plug the trailer into the truck? |
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Member
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Location: paragould, ar | Well it turns out that my magnets were bad. All four of them were bad and the pads were bad as well. So I replaced them and everything works great now! Thanks everyone for the advice i do appreciate it! |
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Trailer brake problem on my exiss
